Sublimation Printing on Hide or Leather Using Polymeric Adhesive Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sublimation printing on hide or leather results in unstable pigment fixation due to commercial sublimation inks not adhering well to natural substrates, limiting its use on these materials.
Innovation Solution
A process involving a laminar substrate with a polymeric adhesive material, such as polyester or polyurethane, applied to hide or leather, followed by hot pressing and ink jet printing with sublimation ink, allowing for permanent and instantaneous ink transfer without altering the material's texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sublimation printing is used on hide or leather with commercial sublimation inks, then the printing process can be performed, but the pigment fixation is unstable and poor adhesion is obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a polymeric adhesive material layer between the sublimation ink and the hide/leather substrate. This intermediary layer acts as a mediator that facilitates proper ink transfer and adhesion to the natural substrate, resolving the poor adhesion problem while maintaining stable pigment fixation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surface properties of the hide or leather by applying a polymeric adhesive material that changes the physical and chemical parameters of the substrate surface, making it more suitable for sublimation ink adhesion and improving overall fixation stability
2Ease of manufacture
If sublimation printing is performed directly on hide or leather, then the process is simple, but unacceptable printing results are obtained due to poor ink adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a polymeric adhesive material to the hide or leather substrate before performing the sublimation printing. This preliminary action prepares the substrate surface in advance, ensuring that the subsequent printing process produces high-quality results with proper ink adhesion
3Reliability
If conventional printing methods are used on hide or leather, then good adhesion is achieved, but the process loses the advantages of sublimation printing such as cost-effectiveness and quality
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing a polymeric adhesive material as an intermediary layer, the patent enables sublimation printing (a cost-effective method) to achieve adhesion levels comparable to conventional printing methods, while retaining the economic and quality advantages of sublimation technology
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure consisting of the hide/leather substrate combined with a polymeric adhesive material layer, forming a multi-layer system that combines the natural substrate properties with the adhesive properties needed for successful sublimation printing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables stable and high-quality sublimation printing on hide or leather with washable results and maintained texture, overcoming the previous issues of ink adhesion and material alteration.
Implementation Method 1
hot pressing said side of the laminar substrate on said hide or leather
Implementation Method 2
sublimation printing is a known printing process which has limited costs and which provides optimal results when carried out on synthetic material fabrics
Data Source
AI summary
A process of sublimation printing on hide or leather, a laminar substrate to be used in such a sublimation printing process, hide or leather treated to be printable, as well as hide or leather printed by said process of sublimation printing, are described.